I'll Take the Rain
by QuixoticQuest
Summary: PART OF THE 2O BY 2O CHALLENGE. A missing moment at the very end of HPHBP. Sometimes the hardest part of facing one's fears is facing that the fear isn't there anymore. One-Shot. Slight reference to HPDH.


**I'll Take the Rain**

_A/N- This is supposed to be a kind of inserted moment in the very end of HPHBP where Harry is thinking about what he has to think about what the prophecy said and what he's going to do about it. It's also a moment that I think was missing between Harry and Ginny at the end of book six. This takes place right after Dumbledore's funeral. _

_So, since I did not complete the require amount of fics by the set date of the 20 by 20 challenge, I have to do the punishment that I listed in the rules below. The changes and new rules are:_

_Since I am required to take requests for the punishment stage of the challenge, I am not placing limits on how many fics may be written for each category and there are no limits to how many songfics may be written for each category or in general. _

_The completion date is further off so that I have enough time to write quality fics based on requests as well as prompts I give myself. _

_The amount of punishment fics (minimum) is 20. But if the number of requests exceeds 20 before the due date, then I have to write those as well. Past the due date, no requests/prompts may be accepted. _

_If too many prompts are requested (and it's clear that realistically I can't write them all before the due date, the date for writing them-NOT taking requests- will be extended)._

_The number of fics from the original challenge MAY NOT be included in the count of the punishment fics. _

_NEW ADDITONS (AS OF 8/16/10): For the reading- if a chapter fic is being read and the fic is not finished by the time the challenge is over, the requirement for having read it is to have every chapter until that point read/reviewed. For writing- If writing a chapter fic, the chapter length must be 4000 words at least in order to be counted as a fic for the challenge. _

_**THE DUE DATE FOR THE PUNISHMENT CHALLENGE has been extended to January 20th**__**. The due date for all prompts is still AUGUST 21**__**ST**__**. Because of my college work, I've extended the deadline for the fics. **_

_The challenge? – To write twenty one shots before my twentieth birthday. Officially this challenge is going to be called __**"The Twenty by Twenty Challenge"**__ and I have until my birthday, July 23__rd__ at 5PM (since that was the time I was born), to write 20 one-shots from any category. __**The Rules:**__ a) I am not allowed to repeat any categories more than twice. b) I am only allowed to write each one-shot in a minimum of 2000 words (not including the A/N). c) (Within reason) I MUST accept any one-shot requests from readers (in terms of prompts). d) I must use the following piece of dialogue in the fic somehow: "No, I wanted fries with that!" or if it's a song-fic, use all the lines from the song in the piece somehow. _

_EXCEPTIONS: For categories that have a subcategory, the total of one-shots allowed in that category may be doubled. EX: Star Wars EU. For each category, the use of a song-fic as a prompt may be used ONCE per category. RESTRICTION: All songs may not be used more than once (songs used in previous fics, as long as they are not one-shots, may be used again for this challenge)._

_Restrictions on Accepting Prompts: The following types of prompts are ones that I will not write on principle (I mean no offense to anyone who does write them, but I myself won't): fiction or non-canon pairings (except for one or two non-canon pairings, I will not write these). 2. Porn fiction. 3. Hate fiction (I have yet to read those but I am sure that there are some out there and I refuse to write them or read them). 4. Anything that breaks the rules of FFN or my moral beliefs/principles. 5. Disney Channel fics or fan fiction that I have no familiarity with (in order to write well, I must write fan fics about books or movies that I've already read or watched). _

_The punishment? If I am not able to write twenty one-shots by the time my birthday arrives, I will a) Have to write twenty more one-shots (time span TBD) b) I will have to accept writing any kind of one-shot (no matter how ridiculous)- please note: the same rules for accepting prompts or requests as before apply here. c) I will change my username to the first request that anyone gives me (for one week)- again, within reason (I will not accept names that are crude, obnoxious or offensive in any way). Lastly I will have to read/review 10 fics from each of my fandoms-only the ones I've written in though (requests from readers of my fan fiction welcome). _

_I didn't mention this in the first one-shot, but with song-fics, the number of words DOES/CAN include the song lyrics. But this only works for song-fics. Songs may not be inserted into other fics to complete the word count. _

_Without further ado, here is the next one shot of my "Twenty by Twenty Challenge." _

_Disclaimer: "I'll Take the Rain," its lyrics, title and all credits belong to R.E.M. and I do not own Harry Potter or its characters. _

_

* * *

_

Harry always liked the rain. He liked how it sounded like little drums on the window panes of the dormitories. He never understood how beautiful it was until he came to Hogwarts. In the past the thunder had always scared Harry. It reminded him of the sound that Voldemort's wand had made when it shot the green light to kill Harry's parents. It soon became more of comforting reminder that Harry wasn't alone even when he was the only one awake in the middle of the night.

Though he wasn't allowed to wander the grounds to mull over the things that were constantly on his mind, Harry found comfort in sitting in the common room and listening to the quiet dropping of rain on the windows. He liked the contrast of the rain to the warm crackling fire. He leaned back on the couch, his green eyes reflecting the glow of the embers. He could never be sure when the warm fire could turn itself against him or when it would burn.

The rain put out any fires that Harry's natural course of life would start. He was the "Chosen One," "The Boy Who Lived," or whatever the wizarding community wanted to call him. But in the end, he was just a normal teenage boy who wanted nothing more than to have a regular life without any of this "Hero Business" to bother him anymore. Other wizards thought Harry was stuck up and proud, but in truth he didn't enjoy any of the attention.

He didn't like being heard any more than the rain liked being drowned out by the thunder. Every time the lightening went across the sky, Harry was sure that the rain slowed down to look at it, or he liked to think it did. Lightening had an uncanny way of making itself visible, whether or not the rain wanted that part of its existence to take precedence.

_The rain came down_  
_The rain came down_  
_The rain came down on me_  
_The wind blew strong_  
_And summer's song_  
_It fades to memory_

Harry shifted so that he was lying completely on the couch and then leaned back on the armrest, closing his eyes. He slowly began to drift off and with it came images.

First of the mirror his first year where he'd seen his family for what seemed like the first time. But then they disappeared as soon as he realized that he couldn't want to see them if they were already gone. Then there was the memory of his first time riding a broomstick. The light feeling of flying made Harry feel that for once it didn't matter where he was and what was going on. But it only took a second for that moment of freedom to be broken by the screaming of someone in the back of Harry's mind.

He knew that it was his mother. He knew that it was his mother screaming as his father collapsed, killed by Voldemort. Then the wand turned on her. Harry could almost hear Voldemort's voice. It had taken Harry a long time to piece together his scattered memories of that night. But now he had a full picture. Now he knew what his parents looked like through his own eyes and he knew how much pain he felt when the green light struck him.

Harry let out a yelp and then slowly opened his eyes to find that he was not alone in the common room.

_I knew you when_  
_I loved you then_  
_In summer's yawn, now hopeless_  
_You laid me bare_  
_And marked me there_  
_The promises we made_

"You were having a nightmare, weren't you?" Harry sat up, wiping the sweat from his pale face and shook his head. "Don't lie to me, Harry. I know you have."

He turned his head to look at Ginny. He took in her red hair and brilliantly bright eyes and then shook his head once more. "It wasn't anything important."

Ginny scowled, "What makes you think I'd believe that? After everything that we've been through, what makes you think I don't know that look in your eyes, Harry Potter."

Harry turned his head to face Ginny completely and his eyes narrowed slightly, "I really don't want to talk about it."

Ginny raised an eyebrow and then folded her arms across her chest. "Tough luck, I'm waiting until you do."

Harry took his turn to frown, "Then you'll be waiting here alone." Harry stood up and started for the staircase to the boys' dormitory when Ginny's voice stopped him in midstep.

"I know about the prophecy, Harry," He turned around abruptly, his mind blanking for any form of response. "Ron told me." Harry opened his mouth and then shut it immediately. He'd asked Ron not to say anything to Ginny for many reasons. One of which was that Harry didn't want to have the exact conversation he was having with Ginny right now. The other, of course, is that he didn't want her to know the real reason why he had to go find Voldemort alone. He knew that in the end, he couldn't take anyone with him to that battle, not even Ron or Hermione. Simply knowing that would be tough for Ginny to handle on its own. He knew she wouldn't show it, but she was probably beyond broken up about his words to her at Dumbledore's funeral. Harry came back and sat down reluctantly on the couch, staring fixatedly into the flames.

_I used to think, as birds take wing,_  
_They sing through life, so why can't we?_  
_We cling to this, and claim the best_  
_If this is what you're offering_  
_I'll take the rain, I'll take the rain_

"I know you didn't want me to know, Harry," Ginny said and sat down next to Harry. She lightly touched his shoulder and immediately felt Harry tense up at the gesture. She tried her best not to take it too personally. After all, she could tell he really hadn't wanted to break up with her at Dumbledore's funeral, but he still had. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Ginny caught his hand and he turned to look at her.

"Look, Harry," Ginny said firmly, "Like it or not, a lot of people care about you and want to share your life with you, whether it's filled with good things or bad things."

"Ginny, this isn't just some 'bad' thing. I have to kill Voldemort or he'll kill me. That's why I didn't want you to know," Harry said sternly but with a hint of remorse that Ginny was trying to help him despite the fact that they were no longer officially together. It wasn't like he could stop her from loving him or caring about him just because he wanted to go on a quest to find the final Horcruxes and kill Voldemort.

_The nighttime creases_  
_Summer schemes_  
_And stretches out to stay_  
_The sun shines down_  
_You came around_  
_You love the easy days_

The truth was that Harry hated lying to Ginny or hiding things from. Harry was sure that Ron felt the same and took matters into his own hands and told Ginny outright what was going on. Harry couldn't be sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Ron told me because he knew you really wanted to tell me yourself but you were too protective to consider how I felt about this," Ginny said, her eyes and expression hardening. Harry fell silent and simply listened to her speak. He loved hearing her voice, it had a soothing quality and her ability to stay strong and have good spirits was something Harry admired greatly.

"I just didn't want you to see the same thing that happened to my parents, happen to yours," Harry said, his eyes steadily meeting Ginny's with guilt lit in them. Ginny placed her hand over the Harry's as it gripped his knee.

"Harry, what happened to your parents was horrible. I don't think anyone could know what it's like to lose both your parents in the same night and still have nightmares over it years afterwards. I doubt anyone wants to either. That's why I think you need to understand that I don't want you to feel like you have to shoulder all those memories alone."

_But now the sun,_  
_The winter's come_  
_I wanted just to say_  
_That if I hold_  
_I'd hope you'd fold_  
_And open up inside, inside of me_

Harry grimaced and shifted his shoulders before turning his head away from Ginny. He listened to the pitter patter of the rain as it walked its way up and down the window pane. He really couldn't be sure what the right thing to do was. He wanted to open up to Ginny, but he was afraid of whether or not he'd be able to pull away from her once he did.

_I used to think, as birds take wing,_  
_They sing through life, so why can't we?_  
_We cling to this, and claim the best_  
_If this is what you're offering_  
_I'll take the rain, I'll take the rain, I'll take the rain_

There were so many times when Harry wished things were simpler. He could imagine days where he never thought about Voldemort or who he was. He was just a student at Hogwarts who wanted to pass his OWLS and hang out with his friends.

But of course, he just had to be born Harry Potter. He had to be the hero. He had to be born into the body of the one person who could face Lord Voldemort. He had a feeling for a while that he was the only one who could kill the dark wizard, but now he knew it for sure.

The truth only made things worse because it was only a matter of time before he had no choice but to leave and that left him with the possibility of never coming back.

For once in his life, he didn't want to be a hero. He wished he was anyone but himself. Nothing could change who he was though. He knew it, but deep don't he didn't want to believe that. He didn't want to believe he was the only one.

He didn't want to be "The Boy Who Lived." He wanted to be, well, "Just Harry."

_This winter's song_  
_I'll sing along_  
_I've searched its still refrain_  
_I'll walk alone_  
_If given this_  
_Take wing, and celebrate the rain_

Ginny watched Harry's face as his eyes taking in the raindrops as they slid down the windowpane. It wasn't surprising that Harry had something he found soothing, but it was still surprising that Harry liked the rain of all things. It was almost as though she expected him to hate it for being so, well, saddening at times. The rain was cold, it soaked through the skin and revealed things that most people would rather keep hidden.

Yet Harry clearly liked it. Ginny touched his shoulder once more and this time he didn't pull away. Instead he reached backwards over his shoulder to grasp Ginny's hand in his.

"You'll make it through this, Harry," She said firmly, "I don't fall for men who are weak hearted." Harry's mouth finally twitched into a smile.

* * *

The night of the battle was cold and the fear that sunk into Ginny at seeing Harry's limp body caused her to shiver while trying to keep courage in the midst of a clear moment of fear. Then Harry got up to his feet, shocking everyone around him before he dueled the dark lord.

Just like that, it was all over. Lord Voldemort was dead.

_I used to think, as birds take wing,_  
_They sing through life, so why can't we?_  
_We cling to this, and claim the best_  
_If this is what you're offering_  
_I'll take the rain, I'll take the rain, I'll take the rain_

It wasn't difficult to find out where Harry had gone after the battle, after all, Ginny wanted to go there herself.

In the room of requirement, Harry stood, holding in his hand his wand. He was staring at it as though he were contemplating what to do with it. His eyes flickered with a mixture of determination and then an undertone of sadness.

"It's hard to believe that he's dead," Harry said in a barely audible voice. He sucked in his breath. "It's almost like I expected time to just stop right after Voldemort died. But it didn't. I don't know what to do anymore…" At the end of his sentence his voice cracked and he lowered his head. He bit his lip, trying to stall the tears that threatened to well up in his eyes.

Ginny crossed over and reached her hand over to bring his head back up. "Nobody does."

"You do," He pointed out. Ginny sighed and shook her head.

"Contrary to popular belief, I don't even know what I'm going to do when I wake up other than try to get through each day one moment at a time."

Harry's eyes widened and then narrowed, "You always act like you know what you're doing."

Ginny shrugged, "It's better than acting like you don't," She gave him a quizzical look, "Why does it matter?"

"Because I'm supposed to be the hero and I haven't had a clue what I was doing this whole time," Harry said with a low sigh.

"You said that before," Ginny said, "Do you really believe it was just luck?" He opened his mouth and then paused as he thought about it. He hadn't exactly planned what was going to happen after Voldemort killed him of course, but at the same time, he'd gone to die with a plan in mind. It may have been luck, it might not have.

"Honestly? I have no idea," Harry said with a shrug. Ginny laughed.

"Neither do I," She stepped closer, "But I wouldn't worry about it."

"But-" Harry began but Ginny glared at him and he fell silent.

"Don't worry," Ginny said firmly. Harry then decided to just let that matter lie, but something still ate away at the back of his mind.

"Listen, Ginny," Harry began, "I don't know if I can do this. I'm not the right guy for you, I'm not -"

"Harry James Potter," Ginny snapped, "I'm not giving you a choice." Harry could only blink as Ginny kissed him hard. As he sunk into the oblivion of the feeling, he winced in pain as the images of the dead flashed before his eyes and he pulled back.

"I can't…" He said, turning his head away. Ginny grabbed his hand.

"Yes, you can," Ginny said, "It's because of you that everyone is even able to enjoy freedom for a change. That's twice you've saved us. You deserve this more than anyone."

"But I'm just a normal wizard now," He pointed out. "I didn't do anything."

"You've done plenty, trust me," Ginny replied and when it was clear that Harry wasn't budging, she sighed. "Listen, Harry, are you happy now?"

"Happy?" He repeated. He thought for a moment and then shrugged, "I'm not sure I know what that means anymore. I thought it meant being free of Voldemort, but now that he's gone, I can't stop thinking about the people who still died."

"They died because they wanted to see this happen," Ginny gestured towards the grounds and the classrooms outside of the walls of the Room of Requirement. "You did right, Harry. You always have."

"And you would know?" Harry questioned. Ginny paused and then nodded, a smile spreading across her face.

"Yeah, I would," She replied. Harry looked over at the walls. He took a deep breath and finally the whole weight of the events came down on him. Dumbledore's death, Fred's death, Lupin's death and Harry's own trip to the world beyond the land of the living and it was still sinking in when he felt something cold on his cheek. He reached his sleeve up to wipe his now damp cheeks. He started slightly when he looked down to see that Ginny was hugging him.

For a few minutes, she just let Harry cry until he pulled away and finally smiled. "What's next?" Before Ginny could answer, he leaned in and kissed her.

For now, the rain had stopped and outside the world would begin to grow again.

_I'll take the rain_  
_I'll take the rain, I'll take the rain, I'll take the rain_  
_I'll take the rain_  
_I'll take the rain_

**A/N- This has been sitting on my computer, waiting to be finished for a while now, so I'm glad to finally post it. It's really rough, especially towards the end, so I'm probably going to edit it at some point. **_  
_


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